Wednesday, February 06, 2008

There's really no escaping life.

On Friday we visited Olvera Street in downtown. It's known as the birthplace of LA and has Mexican shops, pueblos, and restaurants. We met FD's Mom and Dad there for dinner and shopping.

Grandma "S" teaching Froggy how to dance to the tune of mariachimusic.

Froggymama trying to keep Froggy still for just one minute. As you can see, I wasn't successful.

Papa and Grandma Gus tasting Mexican wafers at a candy stand.

Olvera Street Shopping.

We had dinner with FD's parents and Froggy was somewhat cooperative. Somewhat.Saturday, we celebrated Froggy's best friend "Hummingbird's" second birthday!They had ponies and a bouncy house and it was a dream for atwo-year-old. Froggy and Hummingbird had a blast!

Dootle doo deee doooo, dee dooo dooo. (tumbleweed drifts by).

Don't you love her sparkly shoes? I think they go splendidly with the horse.

Grandma and Froggy waiting for the ponies! No Grandma, you don't get to ride. Sorry.

Froggy on the pony. She and Hummingbird had no fear. Being a cowgirl just comesnaturally.

A true cowgirl sticks out her tongue.

Froggymama and Froggy getting ready for the big ride!

Sunday we drove to Santa Barbara and visited the zoo!

The penguins were very funny.

We had lunch on the pier in Santa Barbara and had clam chowder in bread bowls.Yum. Yum. Yum.

There's really no escaping life, even when you're on vacation. This is especially true when you're visiting us.

I really wanted my parents' trip to be relaxing, calm, an escape from the Iowa blizzards and busy work life. I must have been delusional. We are anything but relaxing, and as hard as I tried, I couldn't take the "life" out of their vacation.

We did have fun, but between FD and I bickering (he's been home for over a month, and we're spending way tooooo much time together) and our trip to wine country being cut short, I'm not sure visiting Froggy Land compares to a cruise or European vacation. We had planned a trip to Solvang to visit the wineries (ya know where they filmed the movie "Sideways") and had to return before we actually visited a winery. It was a family emergency that turned out okay, but it was frightening and emotionally draining. We did share a bottle of wine when we finally made it home, and "pretended" that we were sitting in a vineyard rather than on our couch watching American Idol.

The last time my parents visited we had planned the same trip and that was the week my bosses' dad passed away. So we spent their last vacation planning a funeral.

I know the only thing they care about is seeing us, and playing with Froggy. But one of these trips it would be nice if their vacation didn't involve a stay in the hospital, a funeral, or a family emergency. Ahhh, someday. I'll drink to that.

I'm sooooo with you on that one! When my parents first came over to visit, Little Cub should have been about 10-14 days old. Instead, I was having contractions on the way to the airport to pick them up. We got back home, I think I threw a sandwich at them for lunch, and then proceeded to be in labor for the next 20 hours. In their entire 9-day visit to Holland, we walked around the block maybe three times, and my dad got to see the grocery store. Guilt, guilt, guilt!

I also heard the 'but they're just happy to be spending time with you' line, but it doesn't really help, does it?

It looks like you had a great time on the few things you did do, though, and I'm glad to hear the 'emergency' turned out ok.

I sometimes feel a bit resentful that my life is the same, only harder, whenever we go somewhere - it's never the vision I hold in my head of what it *should* be like. I think that is probably the same for everyone.

I'm sure they had a great time - how could they not? They were with you and Froggy Girl. :)

Always late on the uptake, but remember the immortal words of John Lennon on life (it's what happens when you're making other plans) and go with it. And when does it stop being okay to wear a cowboy hat and sparkly shoes? Some people were giving me the strangest looks the other day...

olvera street is practically in my back yard and we still haven't done that yet. looks like fun. thanks for sharing. that life thing really can get in the way sometimes. ergh. by the way - i hear the santa barbara zoo has a funny giraffe with a crooked neck. true? jcn